I've read lots of threads about engine temp on the Ultra and several guys mentioned that the highest engine temp measured with an oil temp gauge in the fairing was around 260F-270F. I'm intrigued by this. My engine reaches higher temp. It means the EITMS on their bike never kicks in. Is this possible?

The EITMS on the newer 96" bikes is programmed to cut the rear cylinder off at 285F. Obviously, when I ride on open roads, my rear cylinder doesn't shut off but when I ride in the city, not in heavy traffic but let's say at 30-40mph between traffic lights, my rear cylinder shuts off after let's say 3 or 4 red lights. It means my engine temp reaches 285F and I can feel it. This happens even when the outside temp is in the 50s. I have a 2009 Ultra with SE AC, PCV, stock headers, aftermarket slip-ons, I run 20W-50 Amsoil, I have an oil cooler and the lower fairings are always on.

Am I the only one in this case? What's the highest temp you guys have recorded in city traffic?

 

Keep in mind the fairing temp gauge is measuring oil, not head temp. EITMS is regulated by the front-head temp.

My '07's EITMS kicks in at exactly 290° at the front head, measured from the bike's J1850 port using the PCV software. I activated EITMS about a year ago and it has only kicked in twice, both times when I forced it by idling in the garage, that is until recently. Toward the end of this summer it kicked in twice in heavy traffic during hot weather. I also have an oil cooler, which makes a big difference in cooling, and more than you might think in traffic.

My oil temps run about 200° while moving >45mph, but will creep up as high as 230° in summer traffic. It once hit 235° when the oil cooler became caked with mud, cutting some of its effectiveness.

In 50-60° ambient my bike would not exceed 180-190° (oil temp) and EITMS would never kick in even in traffic, although I'm sure there's a limit of how long it could idle and stay out of EITMS even in cool weather. EITMS has never kicked in except in >90° weather and prolonged stop-and-go traffic, and even then only twice in over a year riding in S. LA.

One comment about your lower fairings and their effect on cooling. HD claims they help cooling while the bike is moving, but hurt when at idle since they tend to trap the hot air. Since installing mine in Feb. 2008 and riding through two S. LA summers, they did decrease oil temps about 5° while moving but I didn't notice any difference in traffic. This is with the vents open, of course.

 

This guy is in south Texas and says his got over 300 degrees https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...t-problem.html

 

I live in the Atlanta area...and noticed pretty much the same thing...my 09 Ultra seemed awfully hot. Oil temp was, on 90+ degree summer days with bumper to bumper traffic, running around 280.

I put an oil cooler on...that dropped it down and haven't see anything over 260 on hot days with lots of stop and go traffic. Now with fall I haven't seen anything over 220...even in stop and go traffic, and with little or no traffic 190-200 is about average.

 

Does this mean your EITMS never kicks in , even in stop and go traffic in summer?

 

I didn't know that. Thanks. Do you know what the ratio oil temp/head temp is?

 

230 in the oil pan. At this temp my rear cyl shuts down while at idle. Most of the time I run 215 during those hot humid southern days (lots of mods though).

 

My 09 Ultra is set up exactly like yours (SE SC, PCV, Slip-ons) and if I get into stop and go traffic on a hot day >80 the EITMS will kick in after a few stop lights. Nature of the beast with the air cooled engine, no matter what mods are on the bike. As IClick stated if you let it idle long enough it will kick in, and going between stop lights doesn't produce enough long term air flow to cool it down.

JMHO...

 

Oh in stop and go during the summer it kicks in....but again that is activated by cylinder head temp and not oil temp. Haven't had it kick in since the temps have dropped into the 60's now.

 

It happens in the cooler temperatures as well. If you get the bike to a good operating temp, and then hit ... say road constuction, it'll go off even if the temperature is 36 degree's. 40 mins. of stop and go moving 10 feet every 3 to 5 mins.... That'll do it.

Ask me how I know...lol